Emotional and behavioral problems: a school-based study in southern Brazil

Introduction: Mental health assessment in childhood needs to be carried out within a broader context that includes different factors. Objective: To assess the prevalence of emotional and behavioral problems in schoolchildren and associated factors. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted with a school-based sample at 20 schools selected by systematic random sampling. Participants consisted of children aged 7-8 year old and their parents or primary caregivers. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) was used to screen for the presence of emotional and behavioral problems in children. Results: A total of 596 dyads were evaluated. The prevalence of emotional and behavioral problems was 30.0% among boys and 28.2% among girls. Hyperactivity/inattention were more prevalent among boys (p=0.015). Belonging to economically disadvantaged strata increased the likelihood of emotional and behavioral problems among schoolchildren by 71% (p=0.001), while having parents or caregivers with mental disorder increased by 2.2 times that probability (p<0.001). Conclusion: Our findings showed a high prevalence of emotional and behavioral problems among schoolchildren, as well as the influence of economic conditions and of the mental health of parents and caregivers on child mental health.